PRELUDE by Janesta Williams, Organist

THE LIFE AND WORK OF THE CHURCH
David Cook, Liturgist

ENTERING GOD’S HOUSE

CALL TO WORSHIP
Leader: How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of Hosts! My soul longs, indeed it faints for the courts of the Lord.
People: My heart and my flesh sing for joy to the living God.
Leader: Happy are those who live in your house ever singing your praise.
People: Happy are those whose strength is in you, in whose heart are the highways to Zion.
Leader: For they go from strength to strength;
People: the God of gods will be seen in Zion.
Leader: For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere.
People: I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God …. than to live elsewhere.
All: O Lord of hosts, happy is everyone who trusts in you.
(Psalm 84)

*HYMN No. 442 The Church’s One Foundation

*PRAYER OF CONFESSION
Leader: The Spirit calls each of us
People: But we are often reluctant to heed the call. The wind of the Spirit blows and draws us onward. Yet we cling to the fragile familiarities, to securities, and to safety. Help us to risk letting go, to stand free as your servant people within this church and our community. Help us to capture visions for the future, so that we can truly be the church the founders and builders of our sanctuary would want us to be. We ask this in the name of Jesus the Christ. Amen.
(adapted from Bread for the Journey, edited by Ruth Duck, NY: The Pilgrim Press. p. 57)

*KYRIE ELEISON
Lord, have mercy upon us.
Christ, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy upon us. Amen.

*ASSURANCE OF PARDON
Leader: This is the Good News!
People: In Jesus Christ God forgives us
Leader: and returns the lives we have offered,
People: overflowing with new life.
All: Amen.

*GLORIA PATRI No. 579

ANTHEM His Eye Is On the Sparrow
by the Adult Choir
Beth Denton, Soloist
accompanied by Emily Helms, Flutist

MOMENT WITH THE CHILDREN by Pat Oglesby

HEARING GOD’S WORD

*HYMN No. 430 Come Sing, O Church, in Joy!
(Please pass prayer cards to the end of the pew so they may be collected as we sing.)

SCRIPTURE Ephesians 2:19-22 New Testament Page 193 in pew Bible

BUILT FOR THE GLORY OF GOD: 100 YEARS OF WORSHIP
The Foundation
Claudia Thompson, VWPC Historian

The Structure and Design
Richard Vaughan, Grounds and Maintenance Committee

The Brick and Mortar
Betty Broome, Clerk of Session

LITANY OF CELEBRATION AND THANKSGIVING
Leader: Eternal God, in whom we live and move and have our being,
People: hear our prayer.
Leader: The church universal, and for this congregation of your people,
People: we give you thanks,
Leader: For this place in which we gather for praise and prayer, witness and service, in the name of Jesus Christ the Lord,
People: we give you thanks, O God.
Leader: For your presence among us whenever your Word has been proclaimed, your sacramental gifts of bread and wine shared,
People: we give you thanks, O God.
Leader: For those who have been made your children by adoption and grace,
who in this place were cleansed of sin, buried with Christ in the waters
of baptism, and raised to new and eternal life,
People: we give you thanks, O God.
Leader: For disciples young and old who have been nurtured here in faith.
People: we give you thanks, O God.
Leader: For all who have come here asking your blessing in marriage, seeking to love with your love.
People: we give you thanks, O God.
Leader: For deacons, elders and pastors who have led and loved us, and by the offering of their gifts, equipped us for the work of ministry.
People: we give you thanks, O God.
Leader: For faithful stewards among us who have lived for others, serving you by loving neighbors,
People: we give you thanks, O God.
Leader: For all the saints who have stood among us, whose memory still
enlivens our faith and emboldens our witness,
People: we give you thanks, O God.
Leader: For the ministries of worship and mission, nurture and fellowship, and for all those lives who have been touched by them,
People: we give you thanks, O God.
All: Receive our gratitude, Holy God,
for the years through which you have led us,
and open us to the future you promise.
In the years that lie ahead,
grant us your encouragement in the work of ministry,
your consolation in our defeats,
and your challenge to our complacency.
Give us such trust in your abiding Holy Spirit,
that we may find joy and peace in our common life,
strength and courage to live in the world for your reign,
and hope in the gospel of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

RESPONDING TO GOD’S WORD

*DECLARATION OF FAITH
Gathered around the Word and sacraments, those who confess Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, together with their children, have formed a corporate, visible body in pilgrimage with God across the centuries. The church has sought to order its life and ministry in obedience to the teaching of the first apostles. It has attempted to carry out Christ’s commission in various institutional forms and structures that demonstrate both continuity and change.
We acknowledge that Christ chooses to be known in the world through this community of ordinary people, therefore we dare not despise or abandon the church. Christ is the head of the church, therefore we are responsible to Christ when we make policy and decisions in the church. Christ is the foundation of the church, therefore it will not fall despite our weakness. We are confident that the Lord of the church will judge and defeat our sinful intentions and actions, help us in our weakness and blindness, and use the church to accomplish his purposes.
A Declaration of Faith, Chapter 7 (1)

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE AND THE LORD’S PRAYER

THE OFFERING

*THE DOXOLOGY NO. 592

*PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING

*HYMN OF RESPONSE NO. 420 God of Grace and God of Glory

*BENEDICTION
Leader: May the God of hope, fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
People: Amen

*POSTLUDE

*Please Stand
____________________________________________________________

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

As we pray today we will be remembering Cedar Shoals Presbyterian Church in Richburg, SC and its 4 members

PLEASE NOTE that Exercise Classes have been discontinued for the summer.

RECENT MEMORIALS
Given in memory of Mr. Boyce Kirk, Lynne Jones’ father, by Louise Brunson, Henry & Glenda Manus, Claudia Thompson, Richard & Linda Vaughan, Janesta Williams

A MESSAGE FROM THE STRENGTHENING COMMITTEE:
Please visit vanwyckpc.com to see
1. our weekly bulletins
2. our church calendar
3. May’s prayer list

GREETERS AND USHERS: Toug Brunson and Carol Johns

Cathy Joyce
Trudy Walker
Jeannie Jamieson
Lynne Jones & the family of Boyce Kirk
Flo Weston
Sharon Foster
Betty Jane Hayden
Lucille Smoak
Tim Gibson
Eddie Gibson
Wilma Belk
Don Denton
Shirley Copas
Gene Allen
Marlene Little
Paul
Margaret Edge
Jacob Sansbury
Kat Carter & family
Nareeka Mentor
Davey Steele
Paige Ackerman Johnson
Gideon Hodges
Annette Feaster
Alex Sims
Velma Ashley
Emily Bruce
Bob DeMain
Jane Hammond
All Mothers
Our Church Family
High School & College Graduates

PRELUDE by Janesta Williams, Organist

THE LIFE AND WORK OF THE CHURCH
David Cook, Liturgist

ENTERING GOD’S HOUSE

CALL TO WORSHIP
Leader: We gather to worship the One who crafted creation out of chaos,
People: our cries of joy join the anthems of the universe.
Leader: We gather to lift our praise to the God who gives us voice,
People: we bring the songs which have echoed in our hearts all week long.
Leader: We gather as the children of God, our joy unbroken in God’s love. People: young and old, tone deaf and perfect-pitched lift the new, new songs of faith.

*HYMN No. 122 Thine Is the Glory

*PRAYER OF CONFESSION (Unison)
Joy-giving God, we know who we are: people who hear the harmony of your grace and love in our souls, but who sing off-key so often. We want to learn new songs, but those haunting tunes of our past mistakes run through our heads. We long to make a joyful noise to you, but the hurts inflicted on us, and the pain we have caused others, silence our voices.
Sing to us, Conductor of Grace: sing of your forgiveness, your hope, your love for us. Strike a chord of humility in our hearts so our eyes could see all you have done for us; and in seeing, we might believe how much you love us; and in believing, we would echo that new song of hope and life composed through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. Amen

*KYRIE ELEISON
Lord, have mercy upon us.
Christ, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy upon us. Amen.

*ASSURANCE OF PARDON
Leader: Listen to the melody of the good news: Christ is risen, bringing joy into the world. The One who was dead now lives, and wraps us in the delight of life forever with our God.
People: Now, our dirges have turned to joy; our requiem has been rearranged as a hymn of hope; our laments are lost in a cantata of praise. Christ is risen! Christ is risen indeed! Amen.
(Lectionary Liturgies, 6th Sunday of Easter-B)

*GLORIA PATRI No. 579

ANTHEM
How Blest Are They by the Adult Choir, accompanied by Emily Helms, flutist

RECOGNITION OF OUR GRADUATE — Charles Franklin Vaughan

MOMENT WITH THE CHILDREN by Stuart Graham

HEARING GOD’S WORD

*HYMN No. 438 Blest Be the Tie That Binds
(Please pass prayer cards to the end of the pew so they may be collected as we sing.)

SCRIPTURE Acts 10:44-48 New Testament Page 130 in pew Bible

SERMON
BOUNDARIES OR POLARITIES by Rev. McSpadden

RESPONDING TO GOD’S WORD

*DECLARATION OF FAITH (Unison)
Across the centuries since the church was founded, the Spirit has formed and identified it. We recognize the true church of Jesus Christ wherever the work of Spirit is evident: in preaching and sacraments, in the new life and continuous growth of believers, in the sharing of spiritual gifts and material things, in mission and service to the world. The boundaries of the church are not clearly known to us, but God knows those who are his.
“Declaration of Faith,” Chapter 7(2)

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE AND THE LORD’S PRAYER

THE OFFERING

*THE DOXOLOGY NO. 592

*PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING

*HYMN OF RESPONSE NO. 403 What a Friend We Have in Jesus

_________________________________________________________
ANNOUNCEMENTS:

As we pray today we will be remembering Catholic Presbyterian Church in Chester County, SC and its 35 members.

Mother’s Day
The Worship Committee wishes each Mother a very happy Mother’s Day today. A donation in your honor will be made to the Presbyterian Homes of SC.
Happy Mother’s Day to All.

Our Heartfelt Sympathy is extended to Lynne and Jay Jones and their family. Lynne’s father, Mr. Boyce Kirk, passed away on Wednesday.

Recognition of Our Graduate Charles Franklin Vaughan
Charles graduated from Lancaster High School, received his BA degree in Secondary Social Studies Education from Coastal Carolina University in 1992, earned his Master’s degree in Secondary Education from the University of South Carolina in 1996. He has published an article on incorporating technology into the social studies classroom with the National Council for the Social Studies and numerous lesson plans with the South Carolina Council for the Social Studies and the South Carolina Geographic Education.
Charles has taught at E.L. Wright and Dent Middle Schools and is currently teaching at Richland Northeast High School in Columbia, SC. Charles received a Doctor of Education from the University of SC in Curriculum and Instruction on May 5, 2012. His dissertation, OFFICIAL SOCIAL STUDIES CURRICULUM STANDARDS: AN ANALYSIS OF SOUTHERN POLITICAL, CULTURAL, AND HISTORICAL CONTEXTS examined political perspectives in US History standards in the official curriculum of South Carolina.

GREETERS AND USHERS: Toug Brunson

THE LIFE AND WORK OF THE CHURCH
David Cook, Liturgist

ENTERING GOD’S HOUSE

CALL TO WORSHIP
Leader: We come to this place where God pours out love on us,
People: we join our voices in praise, as our fears are left behind.
Leader: We gather with these people, those who seek to follow Jesus, People: so we might walk the paths of service hand in hand.
Leader: We open our hearts to the gifts of the Spirit,
People: so that grace and peace might be the fruit we bear.

*HYMN No. 473 For the Beauty of the Earth

*PRAYER OF CONFESSION

Leader: There come those moments when we stand exposed, our failings, our
hurtful words, our harmful ways open for all to see. But God takes these
moments, and these sins, redeeming them through compassionate love, making us new people, children of the Living God.
Let us come, in these moments, with our prayers to the One who waits to forgive us and make us whole. Please join me as we pray together, saying,
People: We carry our fears around with us like so much pocket lint, Compassionate Heart, when you would take them and toss them aside, spent and useless. You invite us to sit and chat with someone who wants to know more about you, but we are busy running errands. You give us a simple command – to love, and we complicate it with rules, worries, and doubts.
Forgive us, Vine Grower. You have planted those seeds of mercy, of hope, of grace deep within us, so we might bear rich and nourishing fruit for others.
May we not get in the way of your Gardener, Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior, who will use the Holy Spirit to bring forth an abundant crop. Amen.

*KYRIE ELEISON
Lord, have mercy upon us.
Christ, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy upon us. Amen.

*ASSURANCE OF PARDON
Leader: God abides in you! God is breathing, living, forgiving, restoring you in this moment, and in the days to come. This is the good news for us!
People: As God is in us, so we can live, work, care for others, so that love, hope and joy might touch all people. Thanks be to God, we are forgiven. Amen.
(Lectionary Liturgies, Easter 5, Year B)

*GLORIA PATRI No. 579

ANTHEM God Gives Us Hope by the Adult Choir, accompanied by Emily Helms, flutist

MOMENT WITH THE CHILDREN by Pat Oglesby

HEARING GOD’S WORD

*HYMN No. 533 O Perfect Love
(Please pass prayer cards to the end of the pew so they may be collected as we sing.)

SCRIPTURE John 15:1-8 New Testament Page 109 in pew Bible

SERMON
LIFE IN THE VINEYARD by Rev. McSpadden

RESPONDING TO GOD’S WORD

*DECLARATION OF FAITH (Unison)
Jesus was what we are.
He grew up in a family and a society troubled by the common problems of the world.
His knowledge was limited by his time and place in history.
He felt deeply the joy of friendship and the hurt of being rejected.
Jesus prayed, struggled with temptation, knew anger, and was subject to suffering and death.
He was like us in every way except sin.
Jesus was what we should be.
He served his Father with complete trust and unwavering obedience.
He loved all kinds of people and accepted their love.
In constant dependence upon the Holy Spirit, Jesus allowed no temptation or threat to keep him from loving God with his whole being and his neighbor as himself.
We recognize in Jesus what God created us to be.
He exposes our failure to live as he lived. He demonstrates the new humanity God promises to give us through him.
(“Declaration of Faith,” Chapter 4)

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE AND THE LORD’S PRAYER

THE OFFERING

*THE DOXOLOGY No. 592

*PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING

*HYMN OF RESPONSE No. 485 To God Be the Glory

*BENEDICTION

*POSTLUDE

*Please Stand
____________________________________________________

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

As we pray today we will be remembering Carmel Presbyterian Church in Chester, SC and its 18 members.

Open House at Bethelwoods:
The entire family is invited to come to Bethelwoods this afternoon from 2-5 pm for fun, tours of the camp, boating, crafts, games, hayrides, and fellowship together with our Church family.

Youth Group Camping Trip:
The Youth Group Camping Trip will be held on Friday, May 18th at 4pm at Mooreland Wood land (behind old brick factory on Van Wyck road). Overnight parents need to contact David for security clearance. David’s cell is 803 287 7662.

Finance Report through the week of 4-29-2012:
2012 Budget $126,855.00
Needed each week $ 2,440.00
Budget amount received past 18 weeks $ 39,482.46
Ahead / (Behind) budget past 18 weeks ($4,437.54)

One Great Hour of Sharing:
The total received for this offering was $943.00.

GREETERS AND USHERS: Toug Brunson

THE LIFE AND WORK OF THE CHURCH
Shirley Cauthen, Liturgist

ENTERING GOD’S HOUSE

CALL TO WORSHIP
Leader: Listen, for the voice of God coming near.
People: Listen, for the voice of God that speaks to our hearts.
Leader: We come to worship the God who became one of us,
People: Who calls us by name,
Leader: Who is Love Incarnate,
People: Who is!
Leader: Let us gather together in joy and hope–
People: Let us worship the God of Love!
(adapted from Flames of the Spirit, p. 61)

*HYMN No. 417 Christ Is Made the Sure Foundation

*PRAYER OF CONFESSION
Leader: We wander from hope to hope, thinking the next person, the next book, the next new thing will lead us in the ways in which we long to live. Yet, if we open our eyes and pay attention, we will see the Good Shepherd, the One who will bring us into the kingdom of God’s mercy and hope, even as we confess all the foolish mistakes we have done, and all the wrong turns we have made. Join me, as we pray saying,
People: You long to fill us with your comfort and peace, Still Waters of Grace, but we continue to take on more anxiety, more worry, more fear. You would comfort us in the gentleness of your hope, but we welcome the embrace of a world spinning more and more out of control. You would feed us with more than we need, but we continue to hunger for the sweet sensations offered to us by temptation. You keep your promises and offer us forgiveness and mercy all the days of our life. May we keep our eyes focused on the path you have shaped for us; may we listen to the call of the Good Shepherd who leads us into your joy, that kingdom prepared for us by Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Amen.

*KYRIE ELEISON
Lord, have mercy upon us.
Christ, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy upon us. Amen.

*ASSURANCE OF PARDON
Leader: This is the good news: wherever we are, God is with us; whoever we are, God forgives us, and offers us new life.
People: Surely goodness and mercy are the companions we have been longing for, faithful friends as we continue our journey as God’s people. Amen.
(Lectionary Liturgies, Easter 4B)

*GLORIA PATRI No. 579

MOMENT WITH THE CHILDREN by Pat Oglesby

HEARING GOD’S WORD

*HYMN No. 404 Precious Lord, Take My Hand
(Please pass prayer cards to the end of the pew so they may be collected as we sing.)

SCRIPTURE 1 John 3:16-24 New Testament Page 240 in pew Bible

SERMON
WHAT’S LOVE GOT TO DO WITH IT? by Rev. McSpadden

RESPONDING TO GOD’S WORD

*DECLARATION OF FAITH (Unison)
God created human beings with a need for community and with freedom to enter into it by responding to their Maker with grateful obedience and to one another with love and helpfulness.
We believe that we have been created to relate to God and each other in freedom and responsibility. We may misuse our freedom and deny our responsibility by trying to live without God and other people or against God and other people. Yet we are still bound to them for our life and well-being, and intended for free and responsible fellowship with them.
Since every human being is made for communion with God and others, we must treat no one with contempt. We are to respect and love all other people and ourselves as well.
Declaration of Faith, Chapter 2 (4)

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE AND THE LORD’S PRAYER

THE OFFERING

*THE DOXOLOGY No. 592

*PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING

*HYMN OF RESPONSE No. 442 The Church’s One Foundation

*BENEDICTION

*POSTLUDE

*Please Stand
_____________________________________________________________
ANNOUNCEMENTS:

As we pray today we will be remembering Cane Creek Presbyterian Church in Union, SC and its 53 members.

GREETERS AND USHERS: Rob and Carol Johns

THE LIFE AND WORK OF THE CHURCH
Shirley Cauthen, Liturgist

ENTERING GOD’S HOUSE

CALL TO WORSHIP
Leader: We are witnesses,
People: to the love God has poured into us.
Leader: We are witnesses of God’s love,
People: sharing it with each person we meet.
Leader: We are witnesses to everyone we encounter,
People: little children like us, sisters and brothers in God’s family.

*HYMN No. 119 The Strife Is O’er

*PRAYER OF CONFESSION
Leader: We know how easy it is to trick ourselves into believing that every thought is pure, every act is just, every choice is correct. But if we want to be God’s children, to grow in hope, to walk in the Light, we must admit our mistakes, so we may open ourselves to the healing mercy of God’s love.
Join me, please, as we pray together, saying,
People: Emptier-of-Tombs, we find ourselves running down the roads after lies, rather than walking with you. We find it easy to love other people, as long as they don’t annoy or bother us. We hunger for love and search for affirmation, yet find it difficult to let others love us for who we are. Forgive us, Compassionate Heart. You listen to the whispers of our hearts, and then sing of the promises of hope. You grace us with peace, so our hearts can rest in you. You continue to transform us into Easter people, brothers and sisters of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

*KYRIE ELEISON
Lord, have mercy upon us.
Christ, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy upon us. Amen.

*ASSURANCE OF PARDON
Leader: Not everything has been revealed to us, but this we do know: as God’s children, we are blessed, we are loved, we are forgiven.
People: Our lives have been transformed by the abundant mercy given to us in Christ Jesus our Lord. Thanks be to God! Amen.
(Lectionary Liturgies, Easter 3, Year B)

*GLORIA PATRI No 579

MOMENT WITH THE CHILDREN by Pat Oglesby

HEARING GOD’S WORD

*HYMN No. 115 Come, Ye Faithful, Raise the Strain
(Please pass prayer cards to the end of the pew so they may be collected as we sing.)

SCRIPTURE Luke 24: 36b-48 New Testament Page 91 in pew Bible

SERMON
MY HANDS AND MY FEET by Rev. McSpadden

RESPONDING TO GOD’S WORD

*DECLARATION OF FAITH (Unison)
We are certain that Jesus lives. He lives as God with us, touching all of human life with the presence of God. He lives as one of us with God. Because he shares our humanity and has bound us to himself in love, we have an advocate in the innermost life of God. We declare that Jesus is Lord. His resurrection is a decisive victory over the powers that deform and destroy human life. His lordship is hidden. The world appears to be dominated by people and systems that do not acknowledge his rule. But his lordship is real. It demands our loyalty and sets us free from the fear of all lesser lords who threaten us. We maintain that ultimate sovereignty now belongs to Jesus Christ in every sphere of life. Jesus is Lord’ He has been Lord from the beginning. He will be Lord at the end. Even now he is Lord.

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE AND THE LORD’S PRAYER

THE OFFERING

*THE DOXOLOGY No. 592

*PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING

*HYMN OF RESPONSE No. 310 Jesus, the Very Thought of Thee

*BENEDICTION

*POSTLUDE

*Please Stand
___________________________________________________________

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
As we pray today we will be remembering Camden Second Presbyterian Church in Camden, SC and its 23 members.

ONE GREAT HOUR OF SHARING OFFERING:
Thank You for your generous donations to this offering. Our total to date is $933.00. You may still make a donation this week. Just designate it on your check.

GREETERS AND USHERS: Jack and Carol Leedy

THE LIFE AND WORK OF THE CHURCH
Shirley Cauthen, Liturgist

ENTERING GOD’S HOUSE

CALL TO WORSHIP
Leader: God raised Jesus from the grave so all fears might be banished;
People: So the locked doors of our hearts could be flung open;
Leader: So our quivering lips could declare what was seen and heard.
People: As Christ stood in the middle of his friends on that first Easter night,
Leader: We ask that Christ come among us now, in this time and place,
People: Showing us that nothing stands in the way of our life with God.

*HYMN No. 108 Christ Is Alive!

*PRAYER OF CONFESSION
Leader: How often have we heard the good news of forgiveness and restoration? Yet, we are still reluctant to believe. God offers us new life, yet we are afraid to let go of the old. Let us confess our doubts and fears to the One who waits to make us whole.
People: We use a lot of words, Gracious God, but do little to turn them into deeds. Instead of being of one heart and soul, we choose sides and form groups of folks just like us.
Blessed with great grace, we have trouble sharing it with those who need it the most. Forgive us, God of love. Forgive us, as we step out of our shadows into your light.
Restore us, as we reveal our brokenness. Hear us, as we proclaim Jesus Christ as our Lord and our God. Amen

*KYRIE ELEISON
Lord, have mercy upon us.
Christ, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy upon us. Amen.

*ASSURANCE OF PARDON
Leader: This is the good news we have to declare: God leads us out of the shadows to walk in the light of Christ. People: This is the word we have heard: our faithful God forgives our sins and raises us to new life.
Thanks be to God. Amen.
(Lectionary Liturgies, Second Sunday of Easter-B)

*GLORIA PATRI No 579

MOMENT WITH THE CHILDREN by Pat Oglesby

HEARING GOD’S WORD

*HYMN No. 376 Love Divine, All Loves Excelling
(Please pass prayer cards to the end of the pew so they may be collected as we sing.)

SCRIPTURE John 20:19-31 New Testament Page 115 in pew Bible

SERMON
BELIEVING
by Rev. McSpadden

RESPONDING TO GOD’S WORD

*DECLARATION OF FAITH (Unison)
Jesus was dead and buried, but God raised him from the dead.
The risen Lord appeared to his followers.
They recognized him as their Master who had been crucified. Before Jesus left them, he commissioned them to proclaim to all people the good news of his victory over death, and promised to be with them always.
We are certain that Jesus lives. He lives as God with us, touching all of human life with the presence of God. He lives as one of us with God. Because he shares our humanity and has bound us to himself in love, we have an advocate in the innermost life of God. We declare that Jesus is Lord.
His resurrection is a decisive victory over the powers that deform and destroy human life. His lordship is hidden. The world appears to be dominated by people and systems that do not acknowledge his rule. But his lordship is real. It demands our loyalty and sets us free from the fear of all lesser lords who threaten us. We maintain that ultimate sovereignty now belongs to Jesus Christ in every sphere of life. Jesus is Lord! He has been Lord from the beginning. He will be Lord at the end. Even now he is Lord.
(Declaration of Faith, Chapter 4(5)

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE AND THE LORD’S PRAYER

THE OFFERING

*THE DOXOLOGY No. 592

*PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING

*HYMN OF RESPONSE No. 438 Blest Be the Tie That Binds

*BENEDICTION

*POSTLUDE

*Please Stand
_____________________________________________________________

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
As we pray today we will be remembering Bowling Green Presbyterian Church in Clover, SC and its 102 members.

ONE GREAT HOUR OF SHARING OFFERING:
You may still make a donation to the One Great Hour of Sharing Offering this week. Just designate it on your check.

GREETERS AND USHERS: Jack and Carol Leedy

THE LIFE AND WORK OF THE CHURCH
Shirley Cauthen, Liturgist

ENTERING GOD’S HOUSE

CHORAL CALL TO WORSHIP
Christ, We Do All Adore Thee
by the Adult Choir

CALL TO WORSHIP
Leader: This is the day:
People: when tears are wiped away; shattered hearts are mended; fears are replaced with joy.
Leader: This is the day the Lord:
People: rolls away the stone of fear; throws off death’s clothes; goes ahead of us into God’s future.
Leader: This is the day the Lord has made:
People: death has no fear for us; sin has lost its power over us; God opens the tombs of our hearts to fill us with life.
Leader: This is the day – Easter Day! People: Christ is Risen! Hallelujah!

*HYMN No. 113 Christ the Lord Is Risen Today!

Flowering of the Cross
(During the flowering of the cross, you will be directed from your pew to the chancel area; and after all of the verses of “Christ the Lord Is Risen Today!” have been sung, you may be seated.)

*PRAYER OF CONFESSION
Leader: Very early in the morning, God created all that is good and beautiful. Very early in the morning, a mother placed her newborn in a manger. Very early in the morning, the good news was shared with frightened friends, that Jesus was risen and alive in our midst.
Let us confess the fears and the amazement we bring this morning.
People: On this morning of hallelujahs, we must confess how human we are, Emptier-of-Tombs. We haven’t done any great evil, but we have failed to do good when we had the chance. We have not intentionally hurt anyone, nor have we offered healing to the broken. We easily accept the witness of the angel in the tomb, but find it difficult to share this good news with our friends and neighbors. Bring us new life, Dazzling God. Where we are tired and stressed, give us the energy to serve your creation; transform our hardened hearts into fountains of grace; forgive us of all the damage we have done, and fill us with the joy of your Spirit. In the name of Jesus Christ, who gives us new life, we pray. Amen.

*KYRIE ELEISON
Lord, have mercy upon us.
Christ, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy upon us. Amen.

*ASSURANCE OF PARDON
Leader: God, our Creator, gives us new life; Christ, our Redeemer, prepares a Table for us; Holy Spirit, our Joy, calls us to service. This is the good news: the tomb is empty, sin is powerless, death is defeated forever.
People: On this very first day, and every day, we walk as God’s people, forgiven and made whole. Thanks be to God. Amen
(Lectionary Liturgies, Easter B)

*GLORIA PATRI No 579

ANTHEM
Alleluia
by the Adult Choir

MOMENT WITH THE CHILDREN by Pat Oglesby

HEARING GOD’S WORD

*HYMN No. 118 The Day of Resurrection!
(Please pass prayer cards to the end of the pew so they may be collected as we sing.)

SCRIPTURE John 20:1-18
New Testament Pages 114-115 in pew Bible

SERMON
HOW CAN THE DEAD BE ALIVE?
by Rev. McSpadden

RESPONDING TO GOD’S WORD

*DECLARATION OF FAITH (Unison)
Jesus was dead and buried,
but God raised him from the dead.
The risen Lord appeared to his followers.
They recognized him as their Master who had been crucified. Before Jesus left them, he commissioned them to proclaim to all people the good news of his victory over death, and promised to be with them always.
We are certain that Jesus lives. He lives as God with us, touching all of human life with the presence of God. He lives as one of us with God. Because he shares our humanity and has bound us to himself in love, we have an advocate in the innermost life of God. We declare that Jesus is Lord. His resurrection is a decisive victory over the powers that deform and destroy human life. His lordship is hidden. The world appears to be dominated by people and systems that do not acknowledge his rule. But his lordship is real. It demands our loyalty and sets us free from the fear of all lesser lords who threaten us. We maintain that ultimate sovereignty now belongs to Jesus Christ in every sphere of life. Jesus is Lord! He has been Lord from the beginning. He will be Lord at the end. Even now he is Lord.

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE AND THE LORD’S PRAYER

THE OFFERING

*THE DOXOLOGY No. 592

*PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING

*HYMN OF RESPONSE No. 122 Thine Is the Glory

*BENEDICTION

*POSTLUDE

*Please Stand
_______________________________________________________

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

ONE GREAT HOUR OF SHARING:
Approximately one-third of the monies from the One Great Hour of Sharing Offering support the Self Development of People (SDOP) program. The PCUSA website describes the program this way: “Self-Development of People is a ministry that affirms God’s concern for humankind. We are Presbyterians and ecumenical partners dissatisfied with poverty and oppression, united in faith and action through sharing, confronting, and enabling. We participate in the empowerment of economically poor, oppressed, and disadvantaged people, seeking to change the structures that perpetuate poverty, oppression and injustice.” This year, Providence Presbytery awarded SDOP funds to the Chester Ministerial Association’s Grow-A-Row Garden Project in Chester, SC. Rev. Trey Hegar and the Purity Presbyterian Church have been leaders in forming this ecumenical community partnership. Please give generously to this year’s One Great Hour of Sharing so that more community projects can be funded in Providence Presbytery and around the world.

As we pray today we will be remembering Blackstock Presbyterian Church in Blackstock, SC and its 3 members.

A MESSAGE FROM WHITE OAK A.M.E. ZION CHURCH
Dear Pastor and Congregation,
The Mobile Food Truck will give out food at White Oak A.M.E. Zion Church on Friday, April 13, between the hours of 9:00 am and 12:00 noon. The Clothing Ministry will also give out clothes.
Thank you in advance for your support.
Sincerely,
Rev. Dennis L. McCleave, Pastor
Ms. Judy Moore, Food and Clothing Ministry President
NOTE: Please pass this information to any needy persons. An ID and Proof of Need are required.

RECENT MEMORIALS AND HONORARIUMS:
Building Fund in memory of Eddie Brunson, given by Nancy T. Quick

PRELUDE by Janesta Williams, Organist

CHILDREN’S PALM PROCESSION

THE LIFE AND WORK OF THE CHURCH
Shirley Cauthen, Liturgist

ENTERING GOD’S HOUSE

CHORAL CALL TO WORSHIP
Christ, We Do All Adore Thee by the Adult Choir

CALL TO WORSHIP
Leader: We come to prepare for the holiest of weeks.
People: We will journey through praise, with joy on our lips;
we will travel through betrayal and death,
cradling hope deep in our hearts.
Leader: Jesus leads us through this week, and we will follow, for he is the life we long for, he is the Word who sustains us.
People: We wave palm branches in anticipation, we lay our love before him, to cushion his walk.
Leader: Setting aside all power, glory, and might, he comes:
modeling humility and obedience for all of us.
People: Hosanna! Hosanna! Blessed is the One who brings us the Kingdom of God.

*HYMN No. 89 Hosanna, Loud Hosanna

*PRAYER OF CONFESSION
Leader: When the parade is over, do we pick up our lives, brush them off, and live in the old way? Do we toss our palm branches aside, so we can grasp the seductions of the world? As we begin the journey through the holiest of weeks, let us speak the truth, as we confess to our God, praying together.
People: Ever constant Love, mixing love and hope together, you pave the way to the kingdom, but we prefer to stub our toes on the potholed roads of temptation. You will touch the cup of grace to our parched lips, but we seem to hunger for the ashy taste of bitterness. You beg us to learn the songs of salvation, but we hum along with the chorus death plays in the background of our lives. Have mercy upon us, God of Holiness. As you come to us, you bring healing for our brokenness, peace for our troubled lives, hope for our doubting minds. May we empty ourselves of everything which keeps us from following you, so we may receive these gifts, and more, from Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Amen.

*KYRIE ELEISON
Lord, have mercy upon us. Christ, have mercy upon us. Lord, have mercy upon us. Amen.

*ASSURANCE OF PARDON
Leader: Laying aside judgment, God offers up redemption;
setting aside anger, God embraces us with love;
letting go of grief, God pours living water upon us.
This is the good news, my friends:
God’s steadfast love endures forever.
People: Hosanna! Hosanna!
Blessed is the One who brings us the kingdom of God!
Amen. (Lectionary Liturgies, Passion Sunday B)

*GLORIA PATRI No 579

ANTHEM
A Crown of Thorns
by the Adult Choir

MOMENT WITH THE CHILDREN by Pat Oglesby

HEARING GOD’S WORD

*HYMN No. 98 O Sacred Head, Now Wounded
(Please pass prayer cards to the end of the pew so they may be collected as we sing.)

SCRIPTURE Isaiah 50: 4-9a Old Testament Page 681 in pew Bible

SERMON
WHICH PATH?
by Rev. McSpadden

RESPONDING TO GOD’S WORD

*DECLARATION OF FAITH (Unison)
Religious leaders hated Jesus
because he criticized their hypocrisy
and reproved their neglect of justice and mercy.
They charged him with blasphemy and sedition
when he claimed to speak and act with God’s authority.
One of Jesus’ followers betrayed him.
Others abandoned and denied him
because they were afraid to stand with him.
Civil authorities condemned him
because he provoked unrest among the people.
He was sentenced, mocked, beaten,
and crucified as a common criminal.
We confess that in the execution of Jesus
the sin of the human race reached its depths.
The only innocent One was condemned and put to death,
not by the sinfulness of one nation,
but by the sinfulness of us all.
In the presence of Jesus,
who lived out what God wants us all to be,
we were threatened beyond endurance.
Blinded by our rebellion against our Creator,
we killed his Son when we met him face to face.
We believe that in the death of Jesus on the cross
God achieved and demonstrated once for all
the costly forgiveness of our sins.
Jesus Christ is the Reconciler between God and the world.
He acted on behalf of sinners as one of us,
fulfilling the obedience God demands of us,
accepting God’s condemnation of our sinfulness.
In his lonely agony on the cross
Jesus felt forsaken by God
and thus experienced hell itself for us.
Yet the Son was never more in accord with the Father’s will.
(Chapter 4 “God in Christ”)

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE AND THE LORD’S PRAYER

THE OFFERING

OFFERTORY

*THE DOXOLOGY No. 592

*PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING

*HYMN OF RESPONSE No. 88 All Glory, Laud, and Honor

*BENEDICTION

*POSTLUDE

*Please Stand
__________________________________________________________

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

As we pray today we will be remembering Bethune Presbyterian Church in Bethune, SC and its 28 members.

EASTER SUNDAY:
Please bring fresh flowers next Sunday morning to be used for the flowering of the Cross.

ONE GREAT HOUR OF SHARING:
This collection will be received on Easter Morning for refugee and disaster assistance, and hunger relief within and outside the US through the One Great Hour of Sharing Offering. Please use the enclosed envelope.

BUDGET UPDATE through the week of March 25, 2012
2012 Budget $126,855.00
Needed each week 2,440.00
Budget amount received past 13 weeks $29,217.46
Ahead/(Behind) budget past 13 weeks ($2,502.54)

RECENT MEMORIALS:
In Memory of Al Williams given by Laura Matheson
Choir Fund in Memory of James G. Williams given by Janesta Williams
Building Fund in Memory of James G. Williams given by Annette Denton
Building Fund in Memory of Bonnie Teager given by Annette Denton

GREETERS AND USHERS: Jack and Carol Leedy

PRELUDE by Janesta Williams, Organist

THE LIFE AND WORK OF THE CHURCH by Carol Johns, Liturgist

ENTERING GOD’S HOUSE

CHORAL CALL TO WORSHIP
Christ, We Do All Adore Thee
by Adult Choir

CALL TO WORSHIP
Leader: Each day is a gift from God:
People: each moment is that opportunity to reach out in service to all creation.
Leader: Each day is a reminder of the new covenant:
People: not written on stone tablets easily broken,
but inscribed on our hearts filled with joy and hope.
Leader: Each day we draw closer to God:
People: who has forgotten more than we ever learn;
who has forgiven us more than we ever acknowledge.

*HYMN No. 97 Go to Dark Gethsemane

*PRAYER OF CONFESSION
Leader: We close our heart’s eye, and wonder why we cannot see Jesus.
We wander down the same old paths, and are amazed that Jesus is not ahead of us. We speak and live in ways which keep us from being God’s children. Let us come to the One who offers us grace and mercy, as we pray together, saying,
People: Love that knows no boundaries: we crowd our lives with so much activity, that it is hard to find time for you. We become so focused on ourselves, we can overlook those around us who are searching for hope. We fill our spiritual emptiness with junk, rather than feasting on your Word.
Abundant Mercy, forgive us. Open our eyes, that we may see your new covenant written in plain sight on our hearts. Open our hearts, that we may join you in serving the broken of the world. Open our love, so we may pour it out as abundantly and graciously as your love is given to us in Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Amen.

*KYRIE ELEISON
Lord, have mercy upon us. Christ, have mercy upon us. Lord, have mercy upon us. Amen.

*ASSURANCE OF PARDON
Leader: Like a parent tenderly washing her child, God bathes us in the warm waters of forgiveness, cleansing us, and restoring us to new life.
People: Through Christ, we are made whole; through Christ we are loved; through Christ, we become new people.
Thanks be to God. Amen.
(Lectionary Liturgies, Lent 5 B)

*GLORIA PATRI No 579

ANTHEM
God So Loved the World
by Adult Choir

MOMENT WITH THE CHILDREN by Pat Oglesby

HEARING GOD’S WORD

*HYMN No. 101 When I Survey the Wondrous Cross
(Please pass prayer cards to the end of the pew so they may be collected as we sing.)

SCRIPTURE John 12:20-33 New Testament Pages 106-7 in pew Bible

SERMON
WE WISH TO SEE JESUS
by Rev. McSpadden

RESPONDING TO GOD’S WORD

*DECLARATION OF FAITH (Unison)
When Abraham’s descendants were slaves in Egypt,
God heard their cries and prayers.
God remembered his promise
and sent Moses to free them from bondage.
We declare God’s steadfast love and sovereign power.
The Lord can be trusted to keep promises.
The Lord still acts in the affairs of individuals and nations
to set oppressed and persecuted people free.
Freed slaves became the people of God
when they accepted the Lord’s covenant.
God charged them to respond to his rescuing love
by obeying his commandments.
Their life together was to express
the justice and compassion of their holy God.
Since we, too, are the Lord’s covenant people,
we know we must be holy as the Lord is holy.
We must keep God’s commandments,
not in order to earn or compel the Lord’s favor,
but to reflect the character of God
and to be his grateful and loving people.
(“God Delivered His People,” Chapter 3 (2 and 3)

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE AND THE LORD’S PRAYER

THE OFFERING

*THE DOXOLOGY No. 592

*PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING

*HYMN OF RESPONSE No. 92 Beneath the Cross of Jesus

*BENEDICTION

*POSTLUDE

*Please Stand
___________________________________________________________

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

As we pray today we will be remembering Bethlehem First Presbyterian Church in McConnells, SC and its 33 members.

RECENT MEMORIALS:
Choir Fund in Memory of Al Williams given by Jay and Haydee Teager
Tree Fund in Memory of James G. Williams given by Jay and Haydee Teager

GREETERS AND USHERS: Jay and Haydee Teager

COMMUNITY EASTER EGG HUNT
The Community Easter Egg Hunt will be held on Saturday, March 31, from 2:00 to 3:30 pm at the Community Building. Children are to bring an Easter basket. Eggs, snacks etc. will be provided. Children ages up to 10 or 12 years are invited to participate in the egg hunt. Older children may assist in hiding the eggs and in the games. The rain date will be April 7.